Escape from Konoha.

Liuli walked to the bench outside the training field, picked up a wet towel and wiped her face. Then she suddenly said something that, though her tone wasn't cold, gave people a very scary sense of oppression.

"...Ah, well, I guess so...because the Byakugan has many uses. Ayane used her Byakugan to help me solve a lot of research problems."

Feeling guilty, Shiraishi looked away.

He thought that after Ruri came to him that day, the matter could be swept under the rug, but he didn't expect it to be brought up again, and Shiraishi felt a little embarrassed.

Wait, why should it be awkward?

Isn't it normal for teammates and classmates to help each other?

Shiraishi couldn't help but ask questions in return.

Have I made the problem too complicated?

"is it?"

Liuli looked up at the azure sky, then smoothed her long black hair behind her ear and turned to leave.

Shiraishi lingered in place, lost in thought.

What does 'Really?' mean?

Women's minds are really hard to understand. Whether it's Ayane or Ruri, their personalities are easy to understand, but sometimes what they say can be quite inexplicable.

The ancient saying that a woman's heart is like a needle at the bottom of the sea is truly a timeless proverb.

"Never mind, the most important thing now is to cultivate natural energy..."

◎

The grass here is lush and green, birds sing and flowers bloom, and the place is full of vitality.

Surrounded by towering toad statues, this is a place that resembles a paradise on earth—Mount Myoboku.

Along with Ryuchi Cave and Shikkotsu Forest, it is known as one of the three great holy sites of the ninja world, and is also one of the birthplaces of ancient sage techniques.

Since ancient times, countless powerful ninjas have sought out this place to cultivate Sage Mode. Some have remained hidden here, becoming part of the toad statues on Mount Myōboku, while others have successfully cultivated Sage Mode and become renowned ninjas in the outside world.

However, with the advent of the ninja village era, although the existence of Sage Mode was still recorded in the books of various ninja villages, in reality, with the passing of the First Hokage Hashirama Senju, Sage Mode had long become a legend in the ninja world, and it was difficult to determine whether it was true or false.

To this day, no ninja has ever mastered Sage Mode and shone brightly in the Fourth Shinobi World War.

"Shenzuo is the eldest."

Those were human voices that should not have appeared at Mount Myōboku, one of the three sacred sites.

Wearing a Konoha Jonin uniform and a Konoha ninja headband, with two distinct red vertical lines under his eyes, he was about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with white hair and a face that exuded the vigorous confidence that a young man should have.

As soon as he arrived, he greeted the toad at the entrance of the main hall, nestled deep in the mountains amidst the birdsong.

The toad waiting for him in front of the main hall was dressed in a gray robe, with green skin. It was only the size of a human child, but it gave off an extremely extraordinary aura, even though it was just a toad.

"Oh, it's Jiraiya. You've finally arrived?"

When it saw the young human who had come to greet it, a kind smile appeared on its aged face.

This young ninja was none other than Jiraiya, a Jonin of Konoha who had signed a summoning contract with Mount Myōboku, one of the three sacred sites.

A powerful ninja who is ranked alongside Tsunade and Orochimaru as one of the Legendary Sannin.

He is also a disciple of the current Third Hokage of Konoha, Hiruzen Sarutobi, and an outstanding Jonin of Konoha who inherited the ideology of the Will of Fire.

Not long ago, he had just ended his three-year agreement with the Land of Rain and returned to Konoha. He was just preparing to go to the front lines of the Land of Fire when he received a message from the messenger frog of Mount Myōboku, asking him to come to Mount Myōboku as soon as possible.

"Hey, Fukasaku-kun, what happened? Why did you call me over at this time?"

"I'm sorry to have you come at such a crucial moment, but it's the master's order, and I have no choice."

Fukasaku knew that a great war was breaking out in the ninja world, and Konoha was one of the participants. As one of the few high-ranking Jonin in Konoha, Jiraiya naturally had to go to the front line to fight the enemy.

Jiraiya did not blame Fukasaku. As one of the two great immortals of Mount Myōboku, Fukasaku had personally taught him immortal arts when he was training there... Although he ultimately failed to achieve anything and still had no clue about immortal arts.

However, considering that this is a legendary immortal technique, it is certain that it will be difficult.

He had already surpassed many people by not turning into a toad statue.

"What, isn't Boss Shima here?"

When Jiraiya noticed that Shima, another hermit from Mount Myōboku, was not there, he asked about it.

Shima is the wife of Fukasaku and a very powerful hermit on Mount Myōboku. The two are almost inseparable, which is why Jiraiya asked this question.

"She went out to buy groceries."

"I see. So, it was the Great Toad Sage who came to find me this time, right?"

"I don't know the specifics either, but this is what the master instructed: come in with me."

With Fukasaku leading the way, Jiraiya had no choice but to follow and enter the main hall together.

Inside the grand and magnificent hall, directly opposite the main entrance, there was an incredibly large reclining chair, and there lay an equally incredibly large giant old toad.

With a large pipe dangling from its mouth, even with its eyes closed in a half-asleep state, smoke rings still enveloped the hall, creating a misty, ethereal atmosphere, like a fairyland.

The immortal Fukasaku leaped onto the high platform to the right of the giant toad in a few swift movements, clasped his hands together, and looked solemn.

Jiraiya stopped in front of the giant toad and looked up at it.

No matter when you look at it, this enormous toad always looks like it's about to die, with one foot already in its coffin.

"Great Toad Sage, I have arrived."

Jiraiya shouted from below.

The old toad showed no reaction whatsoever, continuing to exhale smoke rings with a serene expression.

Fukasaku's solemn expression didn't last long. He took a deep, helpless breath, turned his head, and used Sage Chakra to amplify his voice even more:

"My lord, Jiraiya has arrived!"

The old toad then slowly glanced at the sage Fukasaku beside him, and then saw Jiraiya below, before finally realizing what was happening.

"Have you brought everyone? Sorry, I almost fell asleep."

"..."

It wasn't just almost, it was already asleep.

"Great Toad Sage, is something the matter this time?"

The Great Toad Sage is the ruler of Mount Myōboku and possesses the incredible ability to see the future. He once made prophecies for Jiraiya, and they all came true. Therefore, Jiraiya held the Great Toad Sage in awe.

Being able to see into the future, it feels like even a true immortal couldn't be more extraordinary.

Especially after witnessing some events in the Land of Rain, he became even more convinced of the Great Toad Sage's abilities.

"Regarding this matter, Jiraiya... what was your name again?"

The Great Toad Sage's sudden question embarrassed both Jiraiya and Fukasaku.

“My lord, this is Jiraiya. You once prophesied some things for him. He is our contractor from Mount Myōboku.”

The immortal master Fukasaku helplessly added from the side.

"Oh, I remember now, it's Jiraiya! I almost didn't remember."

Honestly, Jiraiya didn't want to believe that such an senile toad could be a so-called immortal.

But the prophecy forced him to believe it.

Moreover, the sage techniques of Mount Myōboku are real, not fabricated.

"Jiraiya, I've called you here today because I have something else for you to do."

"What is it? Is it still about the Child of Prophecy?"

Jiraiya believed that only something this important warranted the Great Toad Sage sending him here personally.

"It has nothing to do with the Child of Prophecy. Rather, I recently had a very strange prophetic dream..."

"Strange prophetic dreams?"

"Yes, it's an indescribable kind of weirdness."

The Great Toad Sage's tone remained largely unchanged, conveying a sense of weakness, as if he were half-dead.

"So what exactly is this strange thing...?"

"With the incredibly brutal war, ninjas will disappear from the world. Death and war will rage across the entire ninja world like never before."

"!?"

Jiraiya and Fukasaku were both startled.

Even the prophecies of the Son of Prophecy have never been this extreme.

Because the outcome for the prophesied child is twofold: destruction or a new beginning of peace.

Moreover, if the Child of Prophecy is properly educated and guided, the probability of the ninja world moving towards peace is greater.

But this time, the result was utterly destructive, leaving people with no choice whatsoever.

"That...disappearance refers to..."

Jiraiya was unable to accept such a sudden change, and a look of urgency appeared on his face.

"In other words, all ninjas in the ninja world, including those from Konoha, will disappear from the ninja world..."

"Konoha... has disappeared..."

Jiraiya was already panicking.

When it comes to Konoha, he can no longer remain calm.

"The reason? It's the Child of Prophecy..."

Jiraiya asked urgently.

Thinking about how he had spent three years in the Land of Rain, and the Rinnegan successor whom he had taken as his disciple, Jiraiya believed that he was the ninja who would bring about change to the ninja world.

Because that was the Rinnegan of the Sage of Six Paths, which is why Jiraiya increasingly believed in the Great Toad Sage's prophecy.

But I've spent three years guiding him, which should be good enough. Could it be that...

"This matter has nothing to do with the Child of Prophecy."

Hearing the words of the Great Toad Sage, Jiraiya breathed a sigh of relief.